The Ontario Broker - Volume 23, Issue 3 - 47

CAA Marketing Minute
DEPARTMENTS
Telling Your Story
Pierre Bourdeau, Director P&C Marketing, CAA Insurance
You sell insurance, and you do it well. But guess what-
thousands of other brokerages out there also sell insurance, and they do
it well too. So, what can you do to stand out in this crowded space? The
good news is there's only one unique you... and you can show the world
through storytelling.
According to cognitive psychologist Jerome Bruner, people are 22 times
more likely to remember a fact when it's wrapped in a story. You can use
storytelling to make you and your business more memorable. This will
help you relate to your clients and show them on a deeper level how you'll
take care of them. Your story goes beyond the fact that you sell insurance;
it speaks to why you do it and how your clients can benefit.
Beyond being memorable, stories can help people develop a quick
impression and help you to stand out amidst the abundance of
information being consumed every day. Plus, stories trigger emotions,
and since 95% of decisions are subconsciously made, an emotional
connection will create an even longer-lasting impression.
How to tell your story
As you grow your business, developing your story
is essential. It should demonstrate that you're not just
selling a product or service, but why you offer the best
solution. There are three parts to telling that story, and
corresponding questions that need to be answered:
1. Your Origin - Why are you doing what you're doing
now? What circumstances shaped your viewpoint
of the world? How did that viewpoint influence the
way you operate your brand?
2. The Opportunity - Based on your origin story,
what's the opportunity you're offering to your
customers? How is it different from what any other
company in your space can offer?
3. Your Values - What's important to your customers?
How do your values align with theirs? How does
what you're offering address what your customers
need?
The Do's and Don'ts of Storytelling:
* DO make it short but capture the details that make
it unique.
* DO make it specific. A compelling story is about one
situation or one individual. For example, the one
person you helped, rather than the 1,000 people
your brokerage helps in a year.
Volume 23 | Issue 3
47
* DO make sure it reflects your company's brand. Be professional,
caring and appropriate. For example, tell a story about how you
thought of a new option for your customer over the weekend, and
not that it came to you at a party on Saturday night.
* DON'T share somebody else's story without permission and do
protect anonymity when you're sharing it.
You're a natural storyteller
You may not think of yourself as a storyteller, but you do it all the time.
You tell your colleague about a great new market you found, your partner
about your day, a friend about your new puppy. All of these are stories,
and you're the storyteller.
So why not tell your business story at your next business networking
event, on your next customer call, or when you run into a prospect at
the coffee shop? If you do it right, you will be memorable, make a quick
impression and establish that coveted emotional connection.
The Ontario Broker - Volume 23, Issue 3

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